In search of James Lee Gillespie
I’ve brought him up in two posts (here and here). Some people hit the road in search of the graves of ancestors (I do that from time to time as well), but I spent a little time one day in August, on my return from Kentucky, looking for the grave of a Southern Unionist who 1) intrigued me in my earliest research of Southern Unionists, and 2) regularly partnered with one of my ancestors in going about my home county warning of the folly of secession.
The graves of James Lee Gillespie and William H. Gillespie (James’ son) are in Sistersville, West Virginia.
October 3, 2009 at 10:38 am
I tracked back to your post about Gillespie. Very Interesting! I’m new into this but I was wondering about the 150th anniversary of the Civil War that’s coming up. Are events being planned? Do you think it woud be a good time to focus on the largely untold story of the Southern Unionists, like Gillespie and my ancestor William D. Fitzgerald.
October 15, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Hi Marilyn, Sorry for the delay in responding. Events for the Sesquicentenial are being planned, but I’m not seeing a lot focused on Southern Unionists. There are some of us who are considering the development of some sort of descendants group. I’ll keep you posted! Robert
May 22, 2011 at 11:00 am
[...] I’ve got to say, these fellows were tough. I’ve documented at least two by name, James Lee Gillespie, and Reuben Kite. Gillespie rode through the county with my third great grandfather, speaking out [...]